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3.1.5 2002 RECLAMATION AREAS <br />The 2002 reclamation areas encompass just over 13 acres of reclamation in two distinct <br />pazcels within the Keenesburg Mine permit area. The azeas include Area 23, a small azea <br />immediately south of the haul road and Area 25, north and west of the haul road. These 2002 <br />reclamation azeas aze both flat. Initial seeding (Area 23) or reseeding (Area 25) with the <br />permanent seed mix took place in November 2002. Specific sampling information for the <br />2002 reclamation areas is contained in Tables 5 and 7. <br />3.1.5.1 Vegetation Cover <br />Total mean vegetation cover of the 2002 reclamation azeas was 45.60 percent. Graminoids <br />provided 12.40 percent mean cover (27.63% relative cover) and fortis accounted for 33.00 <br />percent mean cover (72.37% relative cover). Total cover values were similaz between the <br />individual areas within the 2002 reclamation azeas and ranged from 34 to 52 percent. <br />Helianthus annuus was encountered in all transects. Sisymbrium altissimum and Bromus <br />tectorum were present in 90 percent of transects. <br />Overall within the 2002 reclamation azeas, Helianthus annuus was dominant, with <br />contributions of 18.00 percent mean and 42.02% relative cover. Four additional species <br />encountered contributed three or more percent relative cover, including; Bromus tectorum <br />with 11.20 percent mean (24.12% relative cover), Sisymbrium altissimum contributing 5.80 <br />percent mean total and 11.67 percent relative cover, Melilotus o~cinalis (yellow <br />sweetclover) with 3.60 percent mean cover (7.00% relative cover), and Kochia scoparia <br />providing 3.00 and 5.84 percent mean and relative cover. <br />Vegetative litter (prior years growth, dead wood, and other biologic organic material) <br />comprised 28.60 percent ground cover overall within the 2002 reclamation areas. Baze soil <br />comprised 25.80 percent of the ground cover. No rock or cryptogams were encountered <br />during the cover sampling in the 2002 reclamation areas. <br />3.1.5.2 Herbaceous Production <br />Total herbaceous production within the 2002 reclamation areas was 99.87 g/m2 (8901b/ac). <br />3.1.5.3 Species Composition <br />Cover sampling identified two lifeforms and sixteen species within the 2002 reclamation <br />areas. The lifeforms included four species of perennial grass, one annual grass species, two <br />perennial fortis, one biennial forb, and eight annual fortis. Of the species encountered on the <br />2002 reclamation areas, eight were native and eight were introduced. Annual species <br />outnumbered perennial species by nine to six, with one biennial. Both warm and cool season <br />species contributed to the seasonality of the 2002 reclamation azeas. Cool season graminoids <br />outnumbered warm season graminoids by three to two. Cool season fortis prevailed by a <br />mazgin of eight to three. <br />• <br />Coors F~ergy Comparry Keenesburg Mine Page 15 <br />2007 Revegetation Monitoring Report <br />